Dwain Chambers stormed to the fastest 100metres by a British athlete this year when he was second in 10.05seconds in Sofia last night.

The 30-year-old drug cheat, who is under pressure from the British Olympic Association not to compete in Beijing this summer, lost his unbeaten season's record behind fast-finishing Asian record holder Samuel Francis.

Chambers, whose lawyers are due to file proceedings against his lifetime Olympic ban, said: "This is more progress and I feel that I'm getting there."